12/05/2025
NSD Business Office
1326 W. Highway 92 #12
Bisbee, Arizona 85603
Minutes
The regular meeting of the Naco Sanitary District was called to order at 10:06 AM. Present were Charles Behney, Jesus Guerrero, and Luis Silva and Stephen Day. Andrew Foster was absent. Mr. Ralph Garren was in attendance.
Under Old Business, the minutes for 11/07/2025 were discussed. The minutes from the November 7, 2025, meeting were discussed. Jesus Guerrero identified a spelling typo, which was noted and corrected. Charles Behney moved to approve the minutes as written with the typo corrected. Mr. Dey seconded the motion, which then passed unanimously.
Under New Business, Mr. Behney contacted Fitzgibbons Law from Casa Grande, recommended by Alma Andrate, the City Clerk in Douglas. The firm, whose attorney is Denis Fitzgibbons, handles municipal law for clients including the City of Winkleman and the City of Douglas. Mr. Fitzgibbons is scheduled to meet with the board in person the following week. A special meeting will likely be required for the board to review and vote on the contract terms before the next regular meeting.
Mr. Behney reported that progress on USDA grants and loans is affected by a federal government backlog and furloughs. The NSD is awaiting finalization of the SEARCH grant before writing the USDA Preliminary Planning Grant to complete the funding request for the NSD Prelminary Engineering Review. Dayitza Villalobos, the grant writer for the City of Douglas, has offered to assist with the preliminary planning grant at no cost to the NSD.
The NSD needs to drill two new monitor wells (Monitor Well Number Two and Monitor Well Number Three) deeper because the aquifer depth has dropped to 120 ft, which is only 5 ft above the well bottom for the existing pump, making it difficult to draw samples. Mr. Behney is seeking quotes for new wells. NSD plans to reach out to Freeport McMoran and the Arizona Water Company for possible donations since they share the wells for testing the aquifer. Mr. Dey noted that the water table has dropped significantly to 125 ft from its earlier depth of 95-100 ft, a concern that could also provide data to support the need for grants to upgrade the wells and testing of the aquifer. Tanner Well Service pulled the pump and interior pipe at Monitor Well Number Two. Nick Altamirano of Central Analytical Services has ordered a portable pump capable of reaching 150 ft to continue testing. Accelerated monitoring for nitrates continues in Monitor Well Number One. Mr. Behney confirmed that ADEQ (Arizona Department of Environmental Quality) has been notified of the issue, which may be caused by wastewater seeping through cracked concrete as part of an end-of-life issue with the wastewater treatment plant.
Mr. Behney discussed the letter sent to the Cochise County Board of Supervisors regarding the lack of due diligence for the Bisbee Effluent Plan. Mr. Tom Crosby called Mr. Behney and was impressed with the documents provided.
Mr. Ralph Garren, the office manager, reported that the accounting transition from Monika Patience is going well. There is adequate funding from tax revenues, although tax payments typically slow down through January and February and pick back up in March or April.
Mr. Behney read a letter of interest for the IT Administrator position from Samuel Garren, who is Security Plus certified and experienced with IT management, cyber security, and video conferencing.
Mr. Behney moved to consider Samuel Garren’s interest as acceptable and to hire him as the IT Administrator and new Clerk of the Board. Mr. Silva seconded the motion, which then passed unanimously.
Mr. Dey thanked Mr. Garren for taking on the bookkeeping and office responsibilities.
The meeting adjourned at 10:21 AM.
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Charles Behney, NSD Chair